Research Question: How can teachers differentiate instruction in the 21st century classroom? Author: Chris Parisella
Issues in Education: Avoiding the One Size Fits All Curriculum
Summary With more focus on high stakes testing, teachers often feel forced to commit any sort of autonomy they still possess in the classroom towards test preparation. With this kind of focus, how can teachers really engage their students in true deep learning in subject matter that interests them? This article states that by allowing students to wonder about topics which interest them most, they will apply the text sets as well as skills they are required to learn for standardized evaluations as a result, satisfying their own curiosities in the process. In addition to this, teachers may benefit as well. By allowing students to pursue their own interests in this manner, the stagnance of a set curriculum is removed and teachers can experience fresh ideas and topics with every class. Through this style, the teacher must guide students in their "wonderings" and research. They must be careful to keep some kind of check on how far their students may go off the “beaten path” so to speak.
Reaction
I feel strongly that while allowing students to seek after their own answers based on individual interest, as this article encourages, it's important to consider how important the teacher's role as a guide is in this type of classroom. While actually pursuing topics which interest them, a student might easily go to far off topic in their research or not apply that which they actually need to learn in class. If a teacher can carefully guide and guarantee these students develop these test necessary skills as they wander, I'm all for it.
Source
Murray, Rosemary, Mary Shea, and Brian Shea. “Issues in Education: Avoiding the One-Size-Fits-All Curriculum: Textsets, Inquiry, and Differentiating Instruction.” Childhood Education 81, no. 1 (July 5, 2012): 33–35.
A Rationale for Differentiating Instruction in the Regular Classroom
Summary In the 21st century, education has become a national issue within which many different approaches have been considered. We are behind many other countries in education. How can we catch up to them? This has led to the establishment of all sorts of experimental programs; charter schools, magnet schools, all employing different strategies and disagreeing on where the focus should be. The author, in light of all the argued options, elaborates on two areas of focus he finds the most important to consider. Classrooms must remain diverse and heterogeneous just as educators must readily adapt to the needs of their students and must implement differentiated instruction strategies in order to address the needs and differences of this optimally varied student body. The author repeatedly praises the pros of not labeling students and allowing the individual in a mixed classroom meet their own level of academic success without a label. In this setting, and by acknowledging the uniqueness of each student and providing the individual, opposed to the group, with what they need to succeed, any public school can be improved.
Reaction I thought it was really interesting how the author addressed several areas of controversy, many of which I considered completely unrelated from one another, and so elaborately described how they actually do relate and what this means for a classroom. When considering the separation of students based on learning ability, something which happens to correlate in a major way with race due to socioeconomic differences based on past segregation and then onto what this means for the future of these students, was fascinating, and that's only one example. I hadn't considered how, by encouraging students in a traditional public classroom in a heterogeneous setting, to assist one another would shape their world view even. Wonderful article.
Source George, Paul S. “A Rationale for Differentiating Instruction in the Regular Instruction.” Theory Into Practice, Differentiated Instruction, 44, no. 3 (Summer 2005): 9.
Sharing Responsibility for Differentiating Instruction
Summary In this article, the author compares the argument of teacher versus student responsibility. In short, teacher responsibility rests on that a student cannot be expected to grow in a subject or learn more about something because they can only know and understand what they have already been taught. Successfully implementing a curriculum they believe to be effective is also resting on their shoulders alone. Concurrently, a student must be willing to put in the work to reach an academic goal, whatever that may be for them, as they grow and realize more and more the huge role they play in shaping their own future. The author concludes her article by saying that the most effective classroom is one in which a teacher, while implementing a curriculum with room for differentiation, encourages students to find their own interest areas, readiness level, and preferred method of learning, while adapting to teach to each of them in this way.
Reaction
After reading about both teacher and student responsibilities, I’d begun to think to myself that no this isn’t right, a student needs a good teacher and a teacher needs students who are ready to pursue their own interests; students who are prepared to learn deeply. Both of these things must exist before an effective method of differentiated instruction can be introduced and can become commonplace in 21st century American public schools.
Source
Tomlinson, Carol Ann. “Sharing Responsibility for Differentiating Instruction.” Roeper Review 26, no. 4 (Summer 2004): 2.
Differentiating Instruction to Teach All Learners
Summary The author begins by briefly comparing and contrasting the difference in two sixth grade classrooms teaching the same material. In one, we see the conventional method of teaching as the teacher speaks to all of the class at once and takes charge of the instruction. In the other, we see several small groups of students tackling different areas of the material together. These groups, the author goes on to describe, are made of students of different skill levels based on reading comprehension ability as well as pre assessment tests given at the start of each unit, with some degree of student choice thrown in. The teacher, here at Silver Spring International Middle School, must identify, through working with individual students, how and who they would best work with in the classroom. Students are, all while challenged at their individual level of academic ability, involved in larger groups outside of any single class, facilitated by teachers from different classes all around the school as they develop portfolios regarding their own development into “global citizens”. Staff are committed to putting students “in charge of their learning” and helping them the best they can in a guided pursuit of answers to questions which interest them. The organization of programs and the staff are meant to better allow students to learn the way they do best.
Reaction I think that this school system, though considerably older by 2015, had the potential to be extremely effective. The main principle behind differentiating instruction is to address that students each learn differently, at different paces, and varying ability in different subjects. By implementing pre assessments as frequent measures of ability and grouping students, often varied in skill level, together to promote group learning, SSIMS is doing just that. I also very much appreciated that teachers take routine surveys and address areas of weakness with additional training in things such as peer mentoring, cubing, and tiering in classrooms. This is a fine example of stepping up as educators.
Source
Brimfield, Renee. “Differentiating Instruction to Teach All Learners.” Middle School Journal 33, no. 3 (January 2002): 5.
Just How I Need to Learn It
Summary In Jennifer Goldin’s middle school classroom, students are in every unit made to address their strengths and weaknesses in a given subject. In preparation for a test, students are very encouraged to address their weaknesses compared to where they should be. As these levels of comprehension are established, Goldin creates material for different students to tackle based on their comfort with the subject at hand. Once Goldin is familiar with the state’s learning standards for the year, she develops long term projects based on her student’s interests - setting large, goal encompassing “targets” as well as smaller objectives within that main goal to reach competence. While the learning itself is differentiated among students, the targets they approach are the same. While learning in their own way at their own speed, when it comes to meeting test standards, Goldin finds it effective to set standard goals for all of her students while allowing them to reach those goals, and help them reach their goals, in their own way. She helps them grow as long as she has them, and leaves them with the information they need to continue growing.
Reaction After reading about Jennifer Goldin I'm curious to learn more about the program she's involved in, the Expeditionary Learning network, as well as the work that had been done in more classrooms at Tapestry Charter School. I was disappointed to see that the school closed down several years ago in light of the great instruction going on in this classroom. I believe it's important to keep in mind, despite the cons behind them, that there are standards which today's students must meet, as required by the law, and Goldin does this well.
Source Dobbertin, Cheryl Becker. “Just How I Need to Learn It.” Educational Leadership 69, no. 5 (February 2012): 5.
Overall Reaction to Research The general consensus of reformists seems to be that we need to do away with homogeneous classrooms. While it is easy to understand how this may create issues, perhaps making it more of a challenge for teachers to differentiate instruction, I believe the effects a heterogeneous setting will have on students far outweighs these potential problems. Not enough of my own classes in high school or even middle school had groupings or instruction based on pre-assessments. I believe that this definitely needs to employed more. Students would not only benefit from understanding where they're at compared to where they "should" be, but also by grouping up and working together with students who are not only interested in similar subjects, but have strengths or weaknesses that they can form symbiotic relationships out of for mutual benefit. Considering student interests, I agree with the first article, students should be able to wander in their thoughts and explore that which interests them. However, this wondering should be guided by their teachers who can use these interests to develop skills in the overarching subject, and ensure the mastery of such skills that will be needed on the tests being forced on them.
How does this research help us identify or refine a strategy to improve schools in Rhode Island? Despite the need to meet test standards, the choice of differentiating instruction falls on the teacher. Some level of autonomy is still available to teachers in their respective states, but the degree to which such a decision carries a large risk varies from state to state. I believe the key to improving schools nationwide, which includes Rhode Island of course, is to first remove scripted curriculum, which often caters to standardized tests. Rhode Island students are required to take the NECAP's for example. By reducing the importance of such measurements, teachers will have more room to teacher to their strengths and structure their teaching methods to individual students.
Author: Chris Parisella
Issues in Education: Avoiding the One Size Fits All Curriculum
Summary
With more focus on high stakes testing, teachers often feel forced to commit any sort of autonomy they still possess in the classroom towards test preparation. With this kind of focus, how can teachers really engage their students in true deep learning in subject matter that interests them? This article states that by allowing students to wonder about topics which interest them most, they will apply the text sets as well as skills they are required to learn for standardized evaluations as a result, satisfying their own curiosities in the process. In addition to this, teachers may benefit as well. By allowing students to pursue their own interests in this manner, the stagnance of a set curriculum is removed and teachers can experience fresh ideas and topics with every class. Through this style, the teacher must guide students in their "wonderings" and research. They must be careful to keep some kind of check on how far their students may go off the “beaten path” so to speak.
Reaction
I feel strongly that while allowing students to seek after their own answers based on individual interest, as this article encourages, it's important to consider how important the teacher's role as a guide is in this type of classroom. While actually pursuing topics which interest them, a student might easily go to far off topic in their research or not apply that which they actually need to learn in class. If a teacher can carefully guide and guarantee these students develop these test necessary skills as they wander, I'm all for it.
Source
Murray, Rosemary, Mary Shea, and Brian Shea. “Issues in Education: Avoiding the One-Size-Fits-All Curriculum: Textsets, Inquiry, and Differentiating Instruction.” Childhood Education 81, no. 1 (July 5, 2012): 33–35.
A Rationale for Differentiating Instruction in the Regular Classroom
Summary
In the 21st century, education has become a national issue within which many different approaches have been considered. We are behind many other countries in education. How can we catch up to them? This has led to the establishment of all sorts of experimental programs; charter schools, magnet schools, all employing different strategies and disagreeing on where the focus should be. The author, in light of all the argued options, elaborates on two areas of focus he finds the most important to consider. Classrooms must remain diverse and heterogeneous just as educators must readily adapt to the needs of their students and must implement differentiated instruction strategies in order to address the needs and differences of this optimally varied student body. The author repeatedly praises the pros of not labeling students and allowing the individual in a mixed classroom meet their own level of academic success without a label. In this setting, and by acknowledging the uniqueness of each student and providing the individual, opposed to the group, with what they need to succeed, any public school can be improved.
Reaction
I thought it was really interesting how the author addressed several areas of controversy, many of which I considered completely unrelated from one another, and so elaborately described how they actually do relate and what this means for a classroom. When considering the separation of students based on learning ability, something which happens to correlate in a major way with race due to socioeconomic differences based on past segregation and then onto what this means for the future of these students, was fascinating, and that's only one example. I hadn't considered how, by encouraging students in a traditional public classroom in a heterogeneous setting, to assist one another would shape their world view even. Wonderful article.
Source
George, Paul S. “A Rationale for Differentiating Instruction in the Regular Instruction.” Theory Into Practice, Differentiated Instruction, 44, no. 3 (Summer 2005): 9.
Sharing Responsibility for Differentiating Instruction
Summary
In this article, the author compares the argument of teacher versus student responsibility. In short, teacher responsibility rests on that a student cannot be expected to grow in a subject or learn more about something because they can only know and understand what they have already been taught. Successfully implementing a curriculum they believe to be effective is also resting on their shoulders alone. Concurrently, a student must be willing to put in the work to reach an academic goal, whatever that may be for them, as they grow and realize more and more the huge role they play in shaping their own future. The author concludes her article by saying that the most effective classroom is one in which a teacher, while implementing a curriculum with room for differentiation, encourages students to find their own interest areas, readiness level, and preferred method of learning, while adapting to teach to each of them in this way.
Reaction
After reading about both teacher and student responsibilities, I’d begun to think to myself that no this isn’t right, a student needs a good teacher and a teacher needs students who are ready to pursue their own interests; students who are prepared to learn deeply. Both of these things must exist before an effective method of differentiated instruction can be introduced and can become commonplace in 21st century American public schools.
Source
Tomlinson, Carol Ann. “Sharing Responsibility for Differentiating Instruction.” Roeper Review 26, no. 4 (Summer 2004): 2.
Differentiating Instruction to Teach All Learners
Summary
The author begins by briefly comparing and contrasting the difference in two sixth grade classrooms teaching the same material. In one, we see the conventional method of teaching as the teacher speaks to all of the class at once and takes charge of the instruction. In the other, we see several small groups of students tackling different areas of the material together. These groups, the author goes on to describe, are made of students of different skill levels based on reading comprehension ability as well as pre assessment tests given at the start of each unit, with some degree of student choice thrown in. The teacher, here at Silver Spring International Middle School, must identify, through working with individual students, how and who they would best work with in the classroom. Students are, all while challenged at their individual level of academic ability, involved in larger groups outside of any single class, facilitated by teachers from different classes all around the school as they develop portfolios regarding their own development into “global citizens”. Staff are committed to putting students “in charge of their learning” and helping them the best they can in a guided pursuit of answers to questions which interest them. The organization of programs and the staff are meant to better allow students to learn the way they do best.
Reaction
I think that this school system, though considerably older by 2015, had the potential to be extremely effective. The main principle behind differentiating instruction is to address that students each learn differently, at different paces, and varying ability in different subjects. By implementing pre assessments as frequent measures of ability and grouping students, often varied in skill level, together to promote group learning, SSIMS is doing just that. I also very much appreciated that teachers take routine surveys and address areas of weakness with additional training in things such as peer mentoring, cubing, and tiering in classrooms. This is a fine example of stepping up as educators.
Source
Brimfield, Renee. “Differentiating Instruction to Teach All Learners.” Middle School Journal 33, no. 3 (January 2002): 5.
Just How I Need to Learn It
Summary
In Jennifer Goldin’s middle school classroom, students are in every unit made to address their strengths and weaknesses in a given subject. In preparation for a test, students are very encouraged to address their weaknesses compared to where they should be. As these levels of comprehension are established, Goldin creates material for different students to tackle based on their comfort with the subject at hand. Once Goldin is familiar with the state’s learning standards for the year, she develops long term projects based on her student’s interests - setting large, goal encompassing “targets” as well as smaller objectives within that main goal to reach competence. While the learning itself is differentiated among students, the targets they approach are the same. While learning in their own way at their own speed, when it comes to meeting test standards, Goldin finds it effective to set standard goals for all of her students while allowing them to reach those goals, and help them reach their goals, in their own way. She helps them grow as long as she has them, and leaves them with the information they need to continue growing.
Reaction
After reading about Jennifer Goldin I'm curious to learn more about the program she's involved in, the Expeditionary Learning network, as well as the work that had been done in more classrooms at Tapestry Charter School. I was disappointed to see that the school closed down several years ago in light of the great instruction going on in this classroom. I believe it's important to keep in mind, despite the cons behind them, that there are standards which today's students must meet, as required by the law, and Goldin does this well.
Source
Dobbertin, Cheryl Becker. “Just How I Need to Learn It.” Educational Leadership 69, no. 5 (February 2012): 5.
Overall Reaction to Research
The general consensus of reformists seems to be that we need to do away with homogeneous classrooms. While it is easy to understand how this may create issues, perhaps making it more of a challenge for teachers to differentiate instruction, I believe the effects a heterogeneous setting will have on students far outweighs these potential problems. Not enough of my own classes in high school or even middle school had groupings or instruction based on pre-assessments. I believe that this definitely needs to employed more. Students would not only benefit from understanding where they're at compared to where they "should" be, but also by grouping up and working together with students who are not only interested in similar subjects, but have strengths or weaknesses that they can form symbiotic relationships out of for mutual benefit. Considering student interests, I agree with the first article, students should be able to wander in their thoughts and explore that which interests them. However, this wondering should be guided by their teachers who can use these interests to develop skills in the overarching subject, and ensure the mastery of such skills that will be needed on the tests being forced on them.
How does this research help us identify or refine a strategy to improve schools in Rhode Island?
Despite the need to meet test standards, the choice of differentiating instruction falls on the teacher. Some level of autonomy is still available to teachers in their respective states, but the degree to which such a decision carries a large risk varies from state to state. I believe the key to improving schools nationwide, which includes Rhode Island of course, is to first remove scripted curriculum, which often caters to standardized tests. Rhode Island students are required to take the NECAP's for example. By reducing the importance of such measurements, teachers will have more room to teacher to their strengths and structure their teaching methods to individual students.